When I am reborn, I just want to be a top student

Beijing, Didi headquarters.

Liu Qing sat outside the conference room, where he could see the entire CBD skyline through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

She had seen the China World Trade Center Phase 3, the China World Trade Center, and the headquarters of China National Television for so long that she felt she had long since grown accustomed to these buildings.

Looking at it today, it suddenly feels somewhat unfamiliar.

The conference room door opened, and Chen Wei's secretary poked her head out: "Mr. Liu, you can come in now."

She stood up, straightened her collar, and pushed open the door to go inside.

The conference room was full of people.

On both sides of the long table, almost all of Didi's core shareholder representatives were present. SoftBank's Sun Yi participated via video, Tencent's Ma Huateng sent Lao Chen, the president of the investment department, and several members of the Liu family were also present. Even several independent directors who rarely appear in public were there.

The main seat was empty; it was reserved for Chen Wei.

Liu Qing sat down in her seat, placed her briefcase at her feet, and took out a printed copy of Tangdu City's detailed regulations and an analysis report she had stayed up all night writing.

The corners of the printed copy were curled up from her repeated flipping. The analysis report was only three pages long, but the content of each page had been carefully considered.

Chen Wei pushed the door open and came in.

He was wearing a dark blue jacket, his hair was a bit messy, and there were obvious dark circles under his eyes, indicating that he hadn't slept well either.

"Everyone's here, let's begin!"

He walked to the head seat and sat down. Without exchanging pleasantries, he went straight to the point and asked, "President Liu, what's the situation in Tangdu?"

Liu Qing opened the analysis report and said in a calm voice: "The Tangdu Transportation Commission officially released the trial version of the detailed rules yesterday afternoon. There are three core clauses, all of which directly conflict with our existing model."

"The first rule is that platforms applying for operating licenses must sign formal labor contracts with their drivers and pay social security contributions for them. This rule is aimed at our flexible employment model. Currently, less than 10% of Didi's registered drivers have signed formal contracts, and the proportion of those paying social security contributions is even lower. If the detailed rules are fully implemented, the estimated increase in labor costs each year will be over 10 billion yuan."

"Secondly, operating vehicles must be equipped with a complete autonomous driving safety redundancy system. We do not currently have our own technology for this and can only purchase it from external sources."

"The third point is that the platform needs to establish a mechanism for improving drivers' skills and retraining them for new jobs. On the surface, this point supports drivers' career transition, but in reality, it forces the platform to pay for the workers who are replaced by technology."

She paused, turned to the next page of the report, and continued, "At the same time, a driverless ride-hailing operation license was issued to Galaxy Technology. Galaxy Technology's driverless system has been running real road tests in Tangdu for five years, with tens of millions of kilometers of data and zero major accidents."

"Our own autonomous driving project has only achieved a fraction of their actual road test mileage. So I suggest that instead of continuing to burn money to catch up with technology, we should prioritize using the funds to improve the treatment of drivers. We have already lost the first-mover advantage in direct competition, and the most urgent task is to maintain our existing market share."

She closed the report, looked at Chen Wei, her gaze calm.

The meeting room fell silent for a moment.

Chen, the president of Tencent's investment department, spoke first. His voice was not loud, but it was sharp: "President Liu, you just said that the annual increase in human resource costs is over 10 billion. How did you calculate that?"

Liu Qing replied, "Based on eight million full-time drivers, social security contributions are paid according to the legal base, plus other costs associated with labor contracts, such as paid leave, overtime pay, and severance pay. This is a conservative estimate."

Old Chen pressed further, "What if we don't sign a contract?"

Liu Qing shook his head, directly denying Lao Chen's guess, and explained: "After Tangdu's license plates were issued, Yinhe's driverless cars were already running. I had someone experience them in person, and the experience was excellent. The price is also cheaper than ours, and the safety record is impeccable. Now the detailed rules require signing contracts and paying social security. If Didi doesn't follow suit, its transportation capacity will be greatly lost; if it does, its costs will rise sharply."

Masayoshi Son's voice came through the video, with a slight signal delay: "Liu-san, are you saying that we have to bear both the R&D costs of autonomous driving and the new costs of driver social security, burning money on both ends?"

"Yes!"

Liu Qing's answer was straightforward.

Masayoshi Son remained silent.

His face was frozen on the video screen, like a photograph that had been paused.

Old Chen spoke up again: "President Liu, is there any room for lobbying regarding the details of Tangdu's regulations? We are here in Beijing and can coordinate some resources."

Liu Qing answered without hesitation, shaking his head and saying, "There's no space."

She turned to a page of the printed draft of the rules and pushed it to Old Chen, saying, "Those clauses about the rights of drivers in the rules don't seem to be drafted by Tangdu City itself; they seem to be proposed by Wang Donglai of Galaxy Technology."

The name caused the air in the conference room to freeze for a moment.

Old Chen didn't ask any more questions.

Liu Chuanming, the second son of the Liu family, spoke up, his tone tinged with dissatisfaction: "Liu Qing, you didn't even get to see Wang Donglai on your trip to Tangdu this time?"

Liu Qing's voice took on a cold tinge: "He won't see me!"

"I previously tried to contact him through an intermediary to discuss cooperation on autonomous driving, but he only replied with one word: 'Get lost.' Before the detailed rules were released this time, I tried to meet with him again, but he didn't even reply. As for Galaxy Technology, Wang Donglai's words should have spread far and wide by now: 'Everyone is equal before the rules. If Galaxy Technology's Pinhaofan and Xinghuo Express can do it, why can't you?'"

This sentence was like a bucket of cold water poured on the table.

Someone gasped softly.

Liu Chuanming didn't press further, but his expression was clearly not good.

Chen Wei suddenly spoke up, asking a question he had never asked before: "What if we withdraw from Tangdu Market?"

Liu Qing looked at him, then shook his head and said, "It's not Tang Du's problem. The release of these detailed rules is because Galaxy Technology's autonomous driving technology has matured, and the higher-ups have recognized this trend."

"Tangdu is just the first city; there will be a second and a third. If we withdraw from Tangdu today, we'll have to withdraw from other cities tomorrow. In the end, Didi will have nothing left. Are you willing to accept that outcome?"

Her gaze fell on Chen Wei's face, a hint of mockery in her eyes: "Do you think those investors who have staked their entire fortunes on Didi are willing to accept this?"

Silence fell over the meeting room once again.

Liu Qing waited a few seconds, then opened his laptop and pulled up a document: "I wrote a response plan last night. It has three core aspects and will require several hundred billion yuan, to be invested over three years."

"The first thing to do is to immediately adjust the employment model. Nationwide, full-time drivers will be converted into formal employees in batches, with labor contracts signed and social security contributions paid."

"Secondly, we need to fully integrate with Galaxy Technology's autonomous driving system. Our own R&D progress is not keeping up. Instead of burning money to catch up with a goal that we can't reach, we should directly integrate with a mature technology."

"Thirdly, establish a driver transition training fund to provide free skills training and re-employment support for drivers who are replaced by driverless cars."

Old Chen frowned and was the first to ask a question: "Will they agree to integrate with Galaxy Technology's autonomous driving system?"

Liu Qing said, "They are already working on it. In this set of detailed rules, the autonomous driving system is not closed; it has interfaces. Any platform that meets safety standards can be connected."

Old Chen continued, "How much does it cost to get the connection?"

Liu Qing replied, "We have had preliminary discussions with Galaxy Technology, and the access fee is estimated to be several billion yuan."

Old Chen leaned back in his chair and fell silent.

Liu Chuanming began, "With an investment of tens of billions over three years, how can we expect to pass the scrutiny of the board of directors and investors if we can't generate profits in a short period of time?"

Liu Qing looked at Liu Chuanming and said, word by word, "Third Uncle, the question now is whether we are still qualified to talk about 'profitability'. In any case, Didi must make changes. If they are unwilling, then they should cash out and leave."

The meeting room remained quiet for a long time.

Chen Wei stood up, walked to the window, and turned his back to everyone.

The CBD outside the window was brightly lit and bustling with traffic; the city was still running, as if nothing had happened.

But he knew that some things had changed and could never go back.

"Do as Mr. Liu says." He didn't turn around, but just said it softly.

Liu Qing closed her notebook, her fingers trembling slightly, not from nervousness, but because she knew that what she had just done might make many people in the room hate her, but she had no other choice.

If Didi wants to survive, it must change, and the first step in that change is to admit that it has gone down the wrong path.

After the meeting ended, Liu Qing did not leave, but went to Chen Wei's office.

Chen Wei did not go to his desk, but sat down on the sofa in the reception area.

He pointed to the seat opposite him, and after Liu Qing sat down, he took out a pack of cigarettes that had been opened from under the coffee table, took one out, and lit it.

The smoke rose slowly in the sunset, cutting his expression into blurry fragments.

"Mr. Liu."

Chen Wei's voice was much lower than it had been in the conference room, carrying a weariness that only came out when the two of them were alone: ​​"I agree with the reasons you gave earlier, but I know you must have something else you haven't said. Given your situation and the unpleasantness between the Liu family and Wang Donglai, I don't think you would do this."

Liu Qing did not answer immediately.

She picked up the cold coffee from the coffee table and took a sip.

The bitter liquid slid down her throat, easing her dryness from the long debate.

She put down her cup, looked at Chen Wei, her gaze as calm as a deep pool of water.

"Mr. Chen, you're right."

Her voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear: "I do hate Wang Donglai, not just because he refused to cooperate a few years ago, nor just because he publicly criticized the business model we've become accustomed to on various occasions. I hate him because he makes us all look like fools."

Chen Wei frowned slightly, but did not interrupt.

"How many years did it take us to build Didi into what it is today? From zero to 20 million drivers, from zero to tens of millions of orders per day, from zero to dominating the entire market. We thought it was a miracle in business history, and we thought we were heroes who changed the world. But what happened? Wang Donglai used just one word and one order to bring us all back to reality."

A self-deprecating smile appeared on Liu Qing's lips: "He wasn't even interested in seeing me and told me to get lost. At the time, I thought he was incredibly arrogant. Later I realized that he wasn't arrogant; he genuinely didn't need us."

Chen Wei flicked his cigarette ash and remained silent.

He knew Liu Qing hadn't finished speaking.

"But hatred is hatred, and business is business."

Liu Qing's tone suddenly changed, becoming calmer and sharper: "The reason I proposed at today's meeting to fully integrate with Galaxy Technology's autonomous driving system is not because I've come to terms with it, nor because I've admitted defeat to Wang Donglai, but because I have some information that forces me to do this."

She opened her phone, pulled up an encrypted file, and pushed it to Chen Wei.

The document's cover had no title, only a number and the word "Confidential" in red.

Chen Wei turned to the first page, then his finger stopped.

"Unmanned aerial vehicle?"

He looked up at Liu Qing, his eyes filled with disbelief: "How is this possible?"

"Mysterious Woman".

Liu Qing's voice was cold and calm: "After acquiring DJI, Galaxy Technology immediately integrated its drone technology, Xuanwu batteries, AI autonomous navigation system, and flight control algorithms developed from their quantum computing platform to create the 'Xuan Nu' unmanned aerial vehicle."

"Currently, it can carry four passengers, take off and land vertically, has a range of 300 kilometers, and a top speed of 240 kilometers per hour. It has recently completed thousands of safe flight tests, and the cost price is kept at a relatively low level."

Liu Qing paused for a moment, then continued, "That's not the scariest thing. The scariest thing is that Galaxy Technology has already begun its transformation, and Tangdu City has become a top-tier metropolis. What do we have to compete with them?"

Chen Wei stared at the clear photo of the Xuan Nu aircraft on the document and the dense technical parameters below it, his fingers unconsciously twirling the cigarette butt until the ash fell on the coffee table before he came back to his senses.

"Is this information reliable?"

"It's 100% reliable, with multiple sources that corroborate each other. Galaxy Technology has already allocated a plot of land in Tangdu High-tech Zone specifically to build Xuan Nu's production line and take-off and landing site."

Chen Wei leaned back on the sofa and closed his eyes.

He certainly knew what this meant; Didi had spent tens of billions of yuan and so much time to build a nationwide transportation network.

At the heart of this network are the drivers, twenty million people willing to exchange their time and physical labor for income.

He once thought this network was an impregnable moat, because no one could replicate such a massive transport capacity overnight.

But now he suddenly realizes that this network may not need to be copied at all.

It just needs to be bypassed—bypassed from the air.

Autonomous driving solved the driver problem, and aircraft solved the road problem.

While cars on the ground are still struggling with traffic jams and parking spaces, their passengers are already flying overhead in aircraft.

This isn't about the moat being breached; it's about the moat itself becoming meaningless.

That's why you're so resolute today.

Chen Wei opened his eyes, looked at Liu Qing, and asked, "You're not saving Didi, you're finding a way out for yourself."

"No, I'm not looking for a way out for myself, I'm looking for a way for Didi to survive. Didi's size is what it is, and its existing travel data, high-precision maps, and user habits are assets that Galaxy Technology doesn't have, at least not in the short term. If we can hold onto these assets and negotiate with Galaxy Technology, Didi will still have value. If we continue to hold out and wait until Xuan Nu is officially commercialized before bowing down, then we won't even have any bargaining chips left."

Liu Qing's voice was devoid of any emotional fluctuation, as calm as a precise machine.

Chen Wei was silent for a moment, then asked a question: "You hate Wang Donglai, but you don't seem to be that opposed to what he did?"

Liu Qing looked at Chen Wei and suddenly smiled.

That smile contained self-deprecation, helplessness, and a deep, almost bottomless weariness.

She began, “Wang Donglai once said, ‘Technology itself is neither good nor evil; the key is how it is used.’ I used to think that was just a nice excuse for his monopoly on technology, but later I realized that he really meant it. He used autonomous driving to improve travel efficiency and reduce costs, he used drones for agricultural plant protection and logistics, he used brain-computer interfaces to restore sight to the blind, and he used a rocket to land on the moon to build a human lunar base. Everything he did was to use technology to solve those neglected problems, instead of using technology to extract more profits like we do.”

She paused, then softened her voice: "I hate him because he made me realize just how worthless those things we were once so proud of really are. I also admire him because he's doing things we can't do. That's the real reason you asked me about. I don't want to wait until we have absolutely no leverage left before we have to kneel down and beg for things we should have done willingly."

Chen Wei stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, stood up, and walked to the French windows.

The CBD outside the window is already lit up, and the glass curtain walls of the office buildings are like giant mirrors, reflecting the traffic and neon lights.

He stared at it for a long time, then turned away.

"We'll do as you say, fully integrate with Galaxy Technology's autonomous driving system, and finalize the cooperation agreement as soon as possible."

His voice regained the decisiveness of the founder of Didi: "In addition, we will package our high-precision map data, and the map data of core cities can be made available to Galaxy Technology for free. This is not a compromise, but a pledge of allegiance. Since we want to get on board, we have to show the shipowner our sincerity."

Liu Qing stood up and nodded.

As she reached the door, Chen Wei suddenly called out to her and asked, "President Liu, if that aerial vehicle really comes out, how much will it affect our ground business?"

Liu Qing didn't turn around, but only said one sentence: "It's not a question of how much impact it has, but whether the ground business itself still has any value."

After saying that, she opened the door and walked out, leaving Chen Wei speechless. (End of Chapter)